Slog - Comments on A Book for Every Need—Except One http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one Dex (that's the company that makes the phone book) has delivered three phone books—white, yellow, and mini pages—to each address in Seattle. But nobody uses phone books anymore, right? Apartment buildings have stacks out front. My house got three on the front porch. We don't even have a land line, but Dex delivers them anyway. Last summer, the public intern got the thankless task of trying to round them up, and Savage took one for beach reading. This year, inside the front cover, the book proudly announces… A book for every need. That is, every need related to vacuum repair... Copyright 2008 Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:15:30 -0800 Thu, 24 Jul 2008 06:56:52 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by one chalupa Beautiful! Thank you for posting.

]]> one chalupa http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1079782 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1079782 Enviro Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:25:44 -0800 Comment by Snark of the Covenant Why did Dex get fired from The Stranger?

]]> Snark of the Covenant http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1079787 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1079787 Enviro Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:31:11 -0800 Comment by Adam Kelper just recycle

like old Stranger copies

just recycle

this is a non story written by a good reporter

in my office there are a half dozen people who use the phone books a lot, others never

non story

]]> Adam Kelper http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1079795 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1079795 Enviro Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:38:30 -0800 Comment by Fnarf I happen to like the phone book, but I will concede that the black-smoke-belching rattletrap van and the terrified-looking illegal immigrants who delivered ours, and then delivered another one ten seconds after I brought the first set into the house, were a little, uh, sketchy.

]]> Fnarf http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1079796 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1079796 Enviro Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:38:42 -0800 Comment by w7ngman Awesome, I'll have to call and get my address removed. Hopefully some hapless granny doesn't move in after me. Phone books always go into the recycling bin after sitting on my porch for a few weeks hoping someone will come by and pick it up.

]]> w7ngman http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1079805 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1079805 Enviro Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:42:26 -0800 Comment by superyeadon these books are in their dying days. someday you'll tell your grandchildren about them, and they'll be confused.

]]> superyeadon http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1079830 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1079830 Enviro Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:50:31 -0800 Comment by Poll Watcher There's no point to taking your name off the list, they just drop them off at every doorstep.

]]> Poll Watcher http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1079831 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1079831 Enviro Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:50:43 -0800 Comment by Creek I noticed before throwing it out that my old "Seattle Metro" residential directory had 1300 pages, and the new "Seattle Metro" residential directory has barely 600 pages. Did over 50% of home phone numbers cancel or switch to unlisted in just the past year?

]]> Creek http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1079834 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1079834 Enviro Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:51:58 -0800 Comment by lostboy They're handy as makeshift practice pads for drumming.

]]> lostboy http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1079839 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1079839 Enviro Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:53:59 -0800 Comment by Not this year! I caught them in the act this year, ran after the van and gave it back to them. Yay for working at home!

]]> Not this year! http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1079859 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1079859 Enviro Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:04:28 -0800 Comment by Fnarf I suggest throwing them in the street. They'll never be able to tell it was you, and if enough people do it the city will be on Dex's case for an attractive nuisance.

]]> Fnarf http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1079860 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1079860 Enviro Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:05:00 -0800 Comment by Cookie W. Monster I say give them all to Kelly O and Ari Spool, so they can use them for the 2009 Stranger Man-Off. Drink Rize! Hulk Out! Rip up phone book! Chug Prego! Make phony gang sign!

Imagine the possibilities!

]]> Cookie W. Monster http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1079873 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1079873 Enviro Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:12:13 -0800 Comment by FRUITCAKEpuppet They are useful for giving Napoleonesque types a boost at the dinner table.

]]> FRUITCAKEpuppet http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1079885 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1079885 Enviro Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:17:08 -0800 Comment by PC @11 is right.
Mucha energia y mucho petroleo in printing, delivering, recycling, etc. all wasted except for the few who want these phone books.

I bet they only change 4% with each annual edition, too.

Just go online.

]]> PC http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1079917 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1079917 Enviro Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:42:38 -0800 Comment by rb I liked Steven Blum's effort to return them to Dex last year. I'm not sure it really got anywhere, but at least he tried.

]]> rb http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1079999 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1079999 Enviro Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:20:03 -0800 Comment by Bella @8
Half of us have switched to cell phones only. No need for a landline or it's associated directories.

]]> Bella http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1080014 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1080014 Enviro Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:33:35 -0800 Comment by Damien Each phone book has a flat magnet on it, usually advertising insurance or pizza. Take every single one of these magnets off. Then cut out some of the "Specialties" ads from the Stranger classifieds and glue them to the magnet. Cut away excess magnet and stick that fucker on your fridge. Booya!

]]> Damien http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1080128 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1080128 Enviro Tue, 22 Jul 2008 22:48:01 -0800 Comment by NaFun When we got the deivery this year, we said to our 6yo that they were useless and we were gonna recycle them. She was like "But they're useful!" And I replied with "Do you know where our phone book is now? No, because we don't have one, because we use the internet." "Oh. Well, can we keep one for me to sit on?" "No, we have a Linux textbook for that."

]]> NaFun http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1080229 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1080229 Enviro Wed, 23 Jul 2008 07:47:43 -0800 Comment by hairyson The power of The Stranger could force a breakthrough in the battle with the phone book printers.

More from the Product Stewardship Institute and the waste prevention coalition:
http://www.metrokc.gov/dnrp/swd/nwpc/phonebks.htm

]]> hairyson http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1080242 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1080242 Enviro Wed, 23 Jul 2008 09:08:22 -0800 Comment by Daniel I'm so happy you posted this. I called and told them I had 100 books in my lobby. They're sending someone over to pick them up next week. Sweet!

]]> Daniel http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1080281 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1080281 Enviro Wed, 23 Jul 2008 09:57:04 -0800 Comment by sonoazure Weird, I posted something similar yesterday about http://yellowpagesgoesgreen.org/ It's kind of like a do not call list for phone books.

]]> sonoazure http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1080373 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1080373 Enviro Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:23:59 -0800 Comment by Philip Cantwell My name is Philip Cantwell and I started the organization www.YellowPagesGoesGreen.org. Sonoazure and everyone else that has posted here can contact me at our site at anytime and we will get back to you. We are NOT affiliated with the Yellow Page Publishers. We are a 3rd party organization that contacts the publishers on behalf of people that sign up at www.YellowPagesGoesGreen.org to stop the delivery of books. Some of the publishers accept the request and some do not. We have had thousands of signs up and continue to get hundreds per day.

www.YellowPagesGoesGreen.org has worked with organizations around the world in setting up similar sites to stop the unsolicited deliver of telephone books. We are currently working with some local governments on the proper working of ordinances to ban the unsolicited delivery of telephone books and have been contacted by a US Senator who wants to review our registry system.

Consumers can “opt out” of receiving telephone books at www.YellowPagesGoesGreen.org. We will contact the publishers and inform them to stop delivering books. This is a free service for consumers. www.YellowPagesGoesGreen.org is not against the telephone books but against the delivery of 4 to 5 pounds of paper on people’s door step 5 to 6 times per year and being told it is our responsibility to recycle something we did not ask for. If we need a book we will call. Otherwise I “opt out” from receiving it.

]]> Philip Cantwell http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1081233 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/a_book_for_every_needexcept_one#c1081233 Enviro Thu, 24 Jul 2008 06:56:52 -0800